Glimmer, Glamour, Shimmer, Shatter
by Maysilee Survived
Summary: "I'm beautiful, yes, but it takes more than that to win the games.I'm strong and good with weapons, too. I'm a career, and I'm coming home."
1. Amazingly Beautiful, That's Me

**AN: Yeah, so I know it's really short, it looked longer when I wrote it. I'll try to make the other chapters longer.**

Today is my eighteenth birthday. Reaping day is soon, and it will be my last. I plan on volunteering.

My mother comes in with a shimmering green silk dress that brings out the color of my eyes. I think I look gorgeous in it. I don't put on any makeup, I don't need it. I'm amazingly beautiful, and it's all natural, not like those Capitol freaks. I pity them, really, I do. They have to have surgeries and slather makeup all over their faces to fit the crazy fashion ideals they make for themselves. Of course, not _everyone_ can be born with perfect genes.

Since District one is so close to the Capitol, we get special things that I hear the other districts don't have. Electricity twenty four hours a day, food (because our district doesn't grow or raise anything), and a good chance at winning the hunger games. Not like in the other, how many districts are there again? Oh, yeah, twelve. Well, not like in the other nine districts. It really is a wonderful thing to live in district one, two, or four. The Capitol just adores us. (But I have to say, I don't adore it back.)

My birthday party is awesome as usual, all my friends showed up and we had a great time. I won't bother explaining all the details, what isn't there to get from awesome? I got lots of presents (mostly clothes) and we had this really good cake from the bakery. My best friend, Silk, gave me a beautiful ring with a green gemstone (I think it's called a dematoid garnet). It really is a special thing. When I go into the arena next month, I'm going to take it with me, as my token. I just need to make a few alterations…

I swing by the training center, and my trainer wishes me a happy birthday. I promise them I'll be back tomorrow for my training.

When I get home, I examine my ring. It has a thick band, and the gem is pretty big. I twist it a lot 'till the gem finally falls out of the bezel. The bezel isn't deep enough to hide anything in. I was planning on putting some poisonous dust in it. I hide the pieces of the ring under my bed. I'll figure out what to do with it tomorrow, after training.

**I know there are people out there reading this, so Please Review!**


	2. Kill You in a Minute

I wave to a passing peacekeeper as I walk down the path to the training center. Training before the games is illegal, but they don't mind. Probably because victors mean more food, and who is more likely to be a victor? A trained volunteer? Or a poor child who gets reaped?

"Hey." Is all I say to my trainer, Sparkle. She looks up.

"Twenty push-ups. Now." I roll my eyes at her, but drop to the ground and do seventy five. Then she makes me run back and forth between two walls, run fifty, walk ten, repeat. I run them all. Finally, we get to the weapons. I grab a sword, and Sparkle pairs me with Marvel, a boy my age. He's kind of cute, in a bad boy sort of way. He asks if he can have a spear instead, but Sparkle tells him no. "Remember, you have to be able to use an array of different weapons, learn a variety of different skills. Don't become great at one particular skill, get good at all of them. In the training center before the games, you can work with your preferences." Marvel complains some more, but finally turns back to me, sword raised.

"Go on." Sparkle commands. "Fight. But remember, no serious injuries. We can't have either of you going into the games with a disability."

He lunges, and I parry. I thrust forward, and he jumps out of the way. This is easy. He waves the sword around, wildly, and it just barely grazes my arm. I thought these things were dull. We keep fighting, and I know I'm winning. With a brilliant move, a kick him in the chest and rest my sword on his throat. Sparkle is about to say something, when Marvel rolls over, and hurls the sword straight at my chest. I sidestep it, luckily for me. I'll admit that took me by surprise. He has strong arms and a remarkably good aim. That must be why he likes spears. Sparkle is yelling at him for almost killing me, and he winks at me behind her back. I walk over to the plant station, and sit down.

"What is this?" The trainer holds out a berry. I take it, and turn it over in my hand. It's a blackish bluish berry, a bit like the color of a bruise. All I can tell is that it's not a good one.

"Ummmm…. Let me think for a moment." I rack my brains for knowledge of berries, but I can't call up the name of this particular one. "It's poisonous, right? It's called uh….."

"Nightlock." Marvel slides into the chair next to me. "And it will kill you in a minute. Maybe less." Marvel probably will too, in the games. Kill anyone in a minute. I think he's that kind of person.

I identify a few more plants, but that gets boring, so I move on to archery. I just hate archery, it's the only thing I'm really bad at. Marvel is next to me, but he's using a spear. It hits the target, dead on. He's probably looking at me, and thinking I'm useless. I don't want to embarrass myself further, especially in front of him, so I go back to sword fighting and beat the next six challengers.

Back at home, I take out the ring from under my bed. I finally got an idea. I take it to my mother, who is the district's jeweler (she makes necklaces and rings and such.) In fact, she probably made this ring too. I hand it to her and tell her my idea.

Five hours later, she comes up to my room and hands me back the ring.

"Test it out. I hope you like it. " I smile and hug her. As she leave the room, she calls "You'll have to poison the spike yourself." Eagerly, I twist the gemstone off, but now, inside the bezel, is a big spike. Mom didn't have time to sharpen it, so I get to work. When I go to the training center tomorrow, I think I'll steal some poisonous plants to rub on the spike. Maybe I'll practice my punching as well, with my ring on. I smile. This will be my best weapon.


	3. Shyna and Shimmer

I pull on the dress from my birthday. It's the nicest one I own, and I want to look nice for the cameras.

"Come on, Glimmer! We're going to be late!" I sigh, and head for the door. Mom, Dad, and my sister, Glitter (now seriously, what kind of parents name their two girls Glimmer and Glitter? Didn't they realize that gets really confusing? Especially since the only difference in our names is that hers has two T's and mine has two M's. Oh, and get this. My sister's boyfriend's sister's name is Shimmer.) are waiting for me. My mom smiles as she sees my ring.

We make our way to the square, and are actually the very first people to arrive, not counting the array of past victors and our escort. Even the mayor isn't here yet. This is going to be a long wait.

Finally, the rest of the district gathers and the reaping starts. There are a bunch of boring speeches, something to do with treason, I don't know, I never listen. And then our escort, Missy, walks over to the girls' reaping ball.

"Shyna Brent!" I know Shyna, she's seventeen, and she is excited for the games. Too bad, for you, Shyna.

"And our boy tribute is Chrome Johnson. Now, Any volunteers for Shyna?"

"I VOLUNTEER!" I shout, as does someone else. Great, I was hoping this would be an easy year for me.

"Volunteers come on up." I make my way to the stage, and I see my rival. Well, what do you know. It's Shimmer. Shyna is pouting, because she knows one of us is going to be picked, and she doesn't have the power to override the volunteers. You only get to do that when you're eighteen. So. Now the Mentors are deciding which one of us is getting to go to the games. I hate all this waiting. _Come on, please be me _I think to myself.

"Which of you wants it more?" asks Cashmere. She's looking at us like she remembers what it was like when she stood here.

"I DO!" I yell, about a millisecond before Shimmer.

"Please give a round of applause for our newest female tribute," Missy says. "Glimmer Garnett! And no for the boys…" Now Shimmer is glaring at me, Shyna is glaring at me, but I don't care. I volunteered, and I'm going to the games. I can't help but smile.

There's only one boy volunteer, and when Missy tells me to shake hands with him, I realize it's Marvel. This should be interesting.

My parents and Glitter are the first visitors I have. They all tell me how proud they are, how they know I'll win, but they also look like they're trying not to cry. How conflicted they must be feeling right now. I mean, on one hand, they are happy, excited, proud. I got what I wanted, I'm going to the games, and I'm coming home in a couple of weeks. On the other hand, they know there isn't a sure chance that I'll win, and they think this might be the last time they ever see me. This kind of sums up how I feel about them in return. Especially after my excitement over volunteering wore off. We hug, smile, and talk for a while, but I don't dare to shed a tear. That wouldn't work well for me if there is a camera around at the train station.

Next visitor is Silk, who hugs me and tells me I'm going to be great.

"And I'm so honored that you're wearing your birthday ring as a token." I smile. We exchange pleasant gossip, until the peacekeepers come to tell her to leave. As she walks out the door, she calls "You're my best friend!" I wave at her, and then the door closes.

I would have loved it if that was my last visitor, but then come all my other friends. Nothing special about their goodbyes. After they leave, The door opens again and in come Shyna and Shimmer. Great. Just what I need.

"You've ruined my life! How dare you volunteer with me." Gosh, it's not like it's _my_ fault we're the same age, and both want to volunteer. Anyway, I probably saved her life, because there was only a one in twenty four chance that she would have come back. That goes for me too actually…

"Come on, Shyna, don't pout. You'll have a chance next year, too. I'm sure you can make it next year." I repeat myself several times, because she is still fuming. In other districts, people see volunteers like heroes, like they're willing to throw their lives away for someone else. I wish Shyna would take on that view instead of pouting. She's really ruining my last pre-games memories of district One. Oh well. I want to hug the peacekeeper who comes in and tells them they have to leave.

That could have gone better. At least they didn't tell me they hope I die.


	4. Ten Trains of Competition

The train is wonderful. Unfortunately, it only takes half a day to get to the Capitol from District One, so I can't enjoy it much more. I pretty much ignore Marvel, and stay in my room. I can't stand to look at Missy's awful fashion any moment longer than I have to. I spend a little while looking out the train window, but there is no sign of civilization.

I'm combing my long golden curls when Marvel bursts into the room.

"What happened to knocking?" I demanded, "I could have been naked in here, and you just walked right in." He eyes go to the comb in my hand.

"It takes more than beauty to win the hunger games, Glitter."

I don't think I like this kid. I don't think I like him at all. "One, it's _Glimmer,_ Glitter is my sister. Two, what business is it of yours? And three, I'm beautiful, yes, but I'm also strong and good with weapons, too. I'm a career, and I plan on being the one to go home." It takes a second for him to realize that if I say I'm planning on being the one to get home, then that means I am probably planning to kill him. (for the record, I _am_ planning on killing him, but not until the final eight at least.) His gaze lingers on my ring a bit too long for my liking.

"There's something in that gemstone." It's a statement, not a question.

"Yeah," I say. "More gemstone. It's solid."

"No it isn't. Come on, I know there must be a reason for you to bring that into the arena. Jewelry is really impractical unless it has a secret use."

"My best friend gave it to me. It reminds me of her, and gives me a good reason to win. There's nothing dangerous about it, if that's what you're thinking. Do you think I'm a cheater?"

"Yes I do." He glares at me and stalks out of the room. I lock the door behind him.

The district one and two trains arrive at the Capitol a day earlier than the others, because we're so close and our reapings are earlier in the day.

The train pulls into the capitol and we pass roaring crowds. I stick my head out the window and wave, then wish I hadn't. My hair gets caught in the window, and I have to keep my head outside for a whole ten minutes before I can free it. All that brushing and combing was a waste.

We're not allowed to go anywhere but our rooms, we can't even meet the prep team. That's the problem with arriving a day earlier than the other tributes. When they arrive, first thing is to go be prepped. When we arrive, we have to do nothing for about twelve hours, because it wouldn't be fair if we got more time to be styled or to train.

I meet Marvel, Missy, and our mentors, Cashmere and Gloss, in the dining room of our floor. An extravagant meal has been laid out, and these really quiet people are serving us. I load my plate with food: roast chicken, carrot soup, a strange pink salad with red dots in it. I want to put on as much weight as I can for the games, then I'll have plenty to lose. One of the servers pours me a glass of wine, and it is disgusting. I skip the drink Marvel's having, hot chocolate, because I've heard chocolate gives you zits. I have to satisfy myself with water for now.

The mentors won't even talk to us about anything important, (orders of the Capitol) and this just starts to annoy me. What's the point of getting here half a day early if there is absolutely no advantage. Why don't they just make our train go slower or something? At least we're allowed to watch the reaping replays. I try to make note of the tributes. One, there's me and Marvel. Two, Cato, big strong boy, and Clove, ummm. I'm not really sure how to describe Clove. Vicious, maybe? They'll be good allies, and bad enemies. Three, nothing to worry about. Four, Selkie and a boy whose name I didn't catch. Strong, good allies. Five, a girl with really pretty red hair, I stare at it, wondering how she got it to be so pretty. Then they move on to Six, and I realize I didn't get any idea of the district five tributes. If I find that girl, I will personally cut all her hair off for distracting me. Oops, I missed the district six tributes as well. I am really going to hurt that girl.

Seven, eight, nine, and ten are nothing special. Then eleven is a little girl who also has pretty hair, but that doesn't keep me from seeing her district partner. Big, powerful, strong as Cato. Then there's district twelve, with nothing special but the first volunteer we've had since Four. Nothing to worry about there. I trun off the TV and head to my room.

At dinner, Marvel noticed me fiddling with my ring, so I hide it in my pillow for safekeeping. What? You think I would wear it to bed?

The room is very dark, but I can hear lots of noise from outside. I think the people of the Capitol are celebrating. Grrrrr. I can't sleep with all that stupid music. And it's not like they're celebrating us in particular, no. They're just celebrating a new arrival of entertainment. How is it entertaining to watch someone die? I just don't understand them.

As I lie on my bed, I think of the ten other trains speeding towards the Capitol. Ten trains, carrying the other tributes and the rest of my competition.


	5. Distractions

When I get up in the morning, I go down the hall to the dining room for breakfast. Training starts today, because _finally_ the other tributes are here. I load my plate with lots of food and sit down across from Cashmere. Marvel slides into the seat next to me, a cup of hot chocolate in his hand. He is _really_ going to get a lot of zits from drinking that.

Cashmere and Gloss are talking strategy, and I try to listen, but Cashmere's hair is really distracting. How does she get it to stay curled all day? My hair is naturally curly, but the curls fall out of place a bit by the end of the day. How does she get hers to shine like that? Conditioner? Shampoo? A different brush? And Gloss is soooooo hot. I mean, like, really hot, even though he's ten years older.

"Any questions?" asks Cashmere. I open my mouth, then close it. I'm going to training today. I'm not going to ask my mentor about her hair.

"Good. Then off you go. Missy will take you to meet the stylists." Wait, what? Stylists? Weren't we supposed to do that last night? Have the other tributes met their stylists yet? Are we late? Wait! Then this is the perfect time to ask Cashmere about her hair!

"It's all natural. But if you want yours to shine, then when you're in the shower, use the button marked 'special conditioner'. It's ten down and six left. But Glimmer, try not to let this distract you. There's no time for small distractions in the Hunger Games." I nod, then follow Missy to the remake center. Cashmere must think I'm an idiot! Oh well. I'll show them all in the arena.

The prep team is absolutely disgusting. I should be the one giving them a makeover, not the other way around. Anyway, all they do is give me a bath, and paint my nails. They don't even bother with my hair. I knew I was perfect already!

My stylist comes in and takes one look at me, then says "Sexy."

"Excuse me?" I say, because that alone just kind of creeps me out.

"For your angle." He says. Oh. That does make sense, but it has nothing to do with my personality. No one ever really thinks about my personality much or tries to get to know me. I guess that's the price of being a goddess on earth. At least I'll get an awesome dress.

I was in and out of the remake center in less than an hour. Now I eat lunch, and wait around for Marvel, who must have been in there all afternoon. What are they doing to him?

Hours later, I'm standing behind great wooden doors, wearing a short, low cut silver tunic. My skin is painted silver (gold apparently, would clash with my hair. I happen to disagree.) My hair is just down, but small sparkly jewel things are sprinkled through it. They're pretty, but will be a pain getting out. Marvel stands next to me, looking the other direction. His tunic is just like mine, but he has pants with his, and it has a much higher neckline (because guys just don't have anything in that area.) If he's going to ignore me, I'll ignore him too.

We ride around the city for twenty minutes, and people are screaming and cheering for us. It is wonderful, but suddenly, something changes. The calls of "Glimmer!" are drowned by a different name. "Katniss!" The crowd is calling now. What? Who is this Katniss? Is that a boy's name or a girl's name? How could they possibly be better looking than me? I look up at the screen that's showing us live, and see a boy and a girl holding hands while on fire. District Twelve is flashing on the screen below them. District Twelve? WHAT? Their names are Katniss and Peeta, but I can't tell which one is which. I think Peeta is the girl…. Wait, no, the girl is Katniss. I remember from the reaping. She's the one who volunteered. One look at her face, and I relax. It's not her, that's so pretty. It's the costume she's wearing. Her stylist is very original.

Now that I know she's' not competition, I give my biggest smile to the crowd as our chariots continue around. Costumes may help win sponsors, but it's skills that win the games. Katniss doesn't stand a chance against me.


	6. Complications

I'm sitting on the couch, next to Marvel. I'm sure other tributes are biting their nails as they wait for their training scores. I don't bite my nails. That's just disgusting.

My gorgeous picture flashes on the screen. 9! I got a 9! Usually, no one gets higher than a ten, so this is good. Very good. Marvel also gets a nine, then Cato and Clove both get tens, and I can tell Marvel is mad. Oh, who cares. Cato's hotter than Marvel, anyway. I don't care if Clove gets one higher than me, and if she has the most perfect aim with those knives of hers. I'll still win this.

My stylists, escort, Cashmere, and Gloss congratulate us. I stand up to go to bed, but Cashmere tells me to keep watching the scores and figure out which tributes are a threat. No one gets anything higher than a six, until district eleven. That little girl with the dark skin and pretty hair gets a seven. I am actually surprised, because I've seen her in training. What can she do?

Then Thresh, the big one, gets a ten as well. I was right about him being as strong as Cato. He refused to talk to us at lunch though, and he obviously won't be our ally. I'll make sure to watch out for him.

Oh! I just got the most brilliant idea. It's cold, and cruel, but I know it will work. I'll somehow get Thresh and Cato to fight each other, and then one of the two biggest threats will be eliminated, and the other will probably be greatly injured. It's a great idea.

I hear Marvel roar in outrage, and I look back at the TV just in time to see the number 11 flashing under the girl from twelve's picture. What? She got the highest score, of all of us! How is that even possible? Higher than Cato, higher than Thresh. Higher than me, Marvel, Ethan, Selkie, and Clove.

We'll have a new threat on our hands, that's for certain. Katniss Everdeen, the girl who was on fire. That's what they're calling her, anyway. Ha. It takes more than flames to win, but if she got an eleven, then she must have some amazing talent. I wonder what it is. Marvel is yelling and I get up and go to bed.

Breakfast brings an unexpected… complication.

"So," says Cashmere, casually tossing her blonde curls over her shoulder. "Do either of you have a token?"

"She does," Marvel says, pointing at me.

"Excellent." Says Cashmere. "May I see it, please?" Reluctantly, I hand my ring over, and then Cashmere puts it in her pocket.

"I'll have to take this to the gamemakers. They have to inspect every tributes' token before the games."

"Why?" I exclaim.

"So no one cheats. I hear that at the first quarter quell, a district six girl hid poisonous dust in her locket. And actually, before that, a boy had a very long necklace that he unwound and used as a whip."

Marvel is smirking at me across the table. I really don't know what to do. I just hope that the gamemakers don't look to closely.

We're supposed to be prepping for the interviews today, but Cashmere and Gloss think that Marvel and I can handle ourselves, and all my prep team needs to do is get me my dress.

Marvel disappears somewhere, I don't know, or really care. I go into my room, and try hard to think. What will I do if the gamemakers find the spike in my ring? Will I be punished? What will they do with it? What will Silk think when she sees me on TV, without my token? She'll hate me, because I swore I'd take the ring into the arena with me. Damn! Too many complications.

Forget about what everyone else will think. I have to practice denying that I knew my ring was fixed. I guess I'll just say I didn't know. Will that work? I'm not sure. I close my eyes, and try think of what I'll say.

Later, I go to lunch in the dining room. The super quiet serving people are there again, and Cashmere, Missy, and Gloss are waiting.

"Hey," exclaims Cashmere. "Have you seen Marvel?"

"No," I say. "I haven't seen him all morning."

"That's strange. He told us he was going to spend the day with you."

"He didn't tell me anything. I've just been in my room all day." I say. Gloss shrugs, but looks worried.

We're just finishing our meal, when a guard (or peacekeeper, or I don't know, some kind of person) bursts into our room. Marvel comes in behind him, looking sullen and angry.

"I found this boy in the training center. Practicing! He was using all of the weapons. You know that's against the rules!" Gloss frowns, and looks at Marvel.

"Anything you want to say for yourself, Marvel?" Marvel glares at everyone.

"So what if I was cheating. Glimmer is too." I really want to kill him. I force my face into a look of surprise, and then give Marvel a hurt look.

"How dare you suggest that!" I manage to say. I get up and pretend to storm away.


	7. Cheaters

**A/N: Hey everyone! Happy Hunger Games! I saw the movie this weekend and it was Awesome!  
>And now on to the story:<strong>

My stylist comes in, holding my dress. It's gold, and kind of transparent. Actually, it's really transparent. How nice. This is going to be soooo awkward.

It's tight fitting at the top, then flairs out. The hemline stops just above my knees. Wait, I thought gold was supposed to clash with my hair, isn't that why I couldn't do it in the chariot? What ev. I put on the dress, and let my prep team do my makeup. I don't think they know anything about makeup though, they're doing it all wrong.

"Do you like it?" the green one asks. (Why bother to remember their names?) I put on my best smile. "Ooh, it's wonderful. Thank you!" It's awful and hideously wrong, as I'm sure you could tell. It doesn't look _ugly _or _bad_, just wrong. The purple one thinks they should style my hair, the orange one thinks it should be down. I tell them I want it down, to show off my curls, but the purple one keeps protesting. I stamp my foot. "No! Just LEAVE IT!" When he opens his (its? Her? How am I supposed to tell the gender?) mouth, I shove it into the wall and stride out. Then I realize I left my shoes in the room. When I go back in, the purple one is sobbing on the floor and the orange one is trying to comfort it. The green one just glares at me. I snatch my shoes, and leave them to their stupid, vapid worries.

Cashmere finds me when I'm in my room, playing with my hair.

"Hey," she says. I look up. "You're going to need a new token." What! I try to look as surprised and hurt as possible.

"What happened to my ring?" She looks down.

"The gamemakers say that they discovered there was a poison spike hidden inside of the gemstone. Did you know about that?" Of course I did.

"Really? But my friend Silk gave it to me. I thought it was just a regular ring." I say. The door bangs open, and Marvel storms in.

"She's lying." Traitor. And he was eavesdropping. And what's he doing in my room? "Get out" I snarl.

"Make me." I leap off the bed, and punch him in the head. It makes a satisfying sort of sickening crunch sound. I try to keep my left hand on my head, to hold my twist in place, but I have to let it go to duck Marvel's kick aimed at my face. Damn him, the twist took me half an hour! _Good thing my nails are long, _I think as I try to claw at his face. If only my prep team could have painted them this morning, open cuts and nail polish are a painful mix. A strong pair of arms holds me back. Cashmere. I forgot she was in the room. Gloss has appeared from somewhere, and holds Marvel in a headlock.

"Don't think you can fight us," snaps Cashmere. "We didn't become victors of the hunger games on our looks alone." I know it's against the rules for mentors to deliberately harm their tributes, but Cashmere just might break that rule, and my neck. Cashmere and Gloss drag Marvel and me into the hallway.

"I'm very disappointed in both of you. Two district one tributes caught cheating! In the same year." Cashmere says. Then in a slightly kinder tone, she says "I appreciate your determination, but this could be a death sentence. The gamemakers don't like cheaters." She and Gloss wait a few more minutes, then, satisfied that Marvel and I won't go after each other again, she and Gloss leave.

"If it wasn't for the Capitol, I'd kill you the moment we step into the arena." I say.

"What do you mean, if it wasn't for the Capitol?"

"No one will sponsor me if I murder my district partner and ally."

"True." Marvel says. "But only if you do it early on. If we wait until the final six…"

"Then it will be acceptable." I say. We stare hard at each other.

"Better watch your back then, _Glimmer_."

"You too, because I just might murder you anyway." His laughs echo in my mind long after I've left him alone in the hall.

* * *

><p>My interview flies by. The audience loves it. I sit back and watch the rest of the tributes. Cato plays the 'pride for my district' and 'brutal killing machine' angle. I don't get how he managed to get both of those angles to work together, but the audience likes it. Wow, Cato is hot. <em>Stop it, Glimmer, <em>I tell myself. _No distractions. _Clove plays the same angles, but she manages to make it sound like she's doing something completely different. The rest of the tributes' interviews go by in a blur. I force myself to pay attention as Katniss Everdeen stands up. She's giggling like she's drunk, drunk on attention maybe. Nothing she says is very captivating. But then she starts to twirl, and her skirt appears as if it is on fire. Sparkly fire. Pretty fire. But not deadly fire. And deadly is what you have to be if you want to win.

If Katniss is always like this, then she's no threat at all. But I doubt it. She's acting, for the Capitol. Just like we all are.

So she's hiding something. So what? I'm still gonna win. I'd better.

**Only a few more chapters to go!  
>Reviews are greatly appreciated, (hint, hint)<strong>

**Thanks**


	8. Focus

**A/N: Hey everyone, here's the next chapter. Enjoy!**

I sit in the launch room, and stare at the clock on the wall. Every tick is a second closer to the games. A second closer to what could be my death. No, I can't think like that. A second closer to my return home is more like it. The tribute uniform arrives and my stylist goes to get it. I hope it's nice looking, not like some years when they have _jumpsuits._ Eww. I cringe just thinking about it.

My stylist holds the clothes up. There is a green shirt, rather plain, and tawny/beige colored trousers. Eww. Ugly. There's also a black jacket. I dress quickly, and sit waiting for the announcement to start the countdown. I wish the games would just start now. Do I really wish that? Yes, because then I would have less time to sit here and worry my head off. I hope there'll be swords in the cornucopia. And food. Of course there will be food, what am I thinking? Maybe we'll get lucky and district twelve and Thresh will die in the bloodbath. Oh, who am I kidding. Of course they won't. Maybe Clove and Cato will die before the final eight. That would be great, because when our alliance begins to fall apart, they'll be the most dangerous. But I don't want Cato to die. But if he doesn't die, then I'll have to fight him. Or kill him. I wonder if my hair looks okay. Maybe I should put it in a ponytail, so it doesn't get in my face when I'm fighting. But it looks better when it's in two fishtails…_No distractions Glimmer!_ Cashmere's voice echoes in my head. She's right, I have to stay focused. And I will focus.  
>Right after I fishtail my hair.<p>

* * *

><p>"Please step onto the plate. Countdown begins in thirty seconds." A voice from some hidden speaker rings out. No, I'm not done fixing my hair! No distractions! I'm so nervous and confused. Why am I confused? Ugh. I step onto the plate. About thirty seconds later, it begins to rise, up through the many layers of ground between the launch room and the arena. <em>Don't hyperventilate<em>, I tell myself. It's distracting. And makes me look bad. And-

60, 59, 58, 57…

I look around. Clove is to my left, and Cato is two places to my right. I can't see Marvel anywhere. There's one sword, sticking up in the pile of supplies. Why does it half to be so far away?

49,48,47…

Cato looks at me and grins. I'll have to race him for that sword. Ugh. Clove grins excitedly too, when her eyes land on the pile of knives. Why is there only one sword? That's not fair!

36, 35, 34, 33, 32, 31…

The sunlight is shining off the district 5 girl's hair. It's amazing. Like copper or something. Does mine look like gold in the sunlight?

27,26…

Focus! Focus, focus, focus!

22, 21, 20…

Focus, focus, focus! I'm going to kill that girl.

19, 18, 17, 16…

No distractions! No distractions! Aaahhhh!

13, 14, 12…

I'm prepared. I'm from district 1. I can do this. I can _do_ this.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0

There's the gong. I race straight for the cornucopia, with Clove ahead of me and Cato right behind. I really hope they'll stick to their alliance promise. I see fire girl standing on her plate, staring. What an idiot. Cato laughs triumphantly and uses his sword to behead the boy from 8. Damn! I wanted that. Clove's scooped up the knives and hurls them left and right, then darts off to go attack some unfortunate tribute. Marvel dives for the spear, narrowly missing the axe that flies over his head, courtesy of the district 7 pair. The next time I look, both are dead. What weapons are left for me?

"Take the bow." Cato holds it out. I glare at him. I aim at a boy from district 5, who's fleeing with a blue backpack. The arrow sails past him, curving to the right for some reason. It is off by about five feet, but it hits another tribute in the back. Cato laughs at me as he stabs a tribute in the leg. I'll show him. I restring the bow, and take careful aim.

"What are you aiming for? You're pointing that at a tree." He says. Actually, I'm pointing it five feet to the right of my target. That way, when it curves, it might actually hit something. It works, and a tribute goes down. I can't help but feel proud of myself. There's a thud as Marvel's spear impales someone. Cato laughs, and gives him a high five. I laugh too, unexpectedly. What am I laughing at? We must all look insane.

The remaining tributes are fighting together, so Cato signals us to regroup by the cornucopia. Fire girl's run off, but her district partner is still here fighting. What's his name? Something to do with bread…Whatever. I look around. Ten tributes lie dead around us, including Selkie's district partner. He was supposed to be in our alliance. Oh well, one less obstacle to face.

Clove points to the pair of tributes still fighting. "Let's end this, shall we?" Cato nods his assent and she grins maliciously, drawing one of her knives. There's a yell as bread boy's opponent goes down with a knife in the back of his head. Bread boy looks around, like he thinks maybe we'll go attack another tribute. He's out of luck, the rest of them are gone, or dead.

"Yours, Marvel." Says Selkie, nodding at bread boy, and Marvel raises his spear.

"Wait! Don't kill me!" He yells.

Clove snorts. "Why not?"

"Because I can lead you to her!" Who's he talking about? Ohhh, now I know. His words have an immediate effect on Cato and Clove, and even Marvel. Clove grins like she's just won the games, and Marvel gives Selkie a high five. Is that all it takes to make my allies act like complete idiots? Seriously, they're sparing bread boy for this. We don't need his help. There's five of us, all trapped in the arena. We can find fire girl ourselves. Anyway, did it occur to any of them that he might be lying? I've heard lots of boys telling girls they love them, and when bread boy announced his crush on interview night, he was _definitely _telling the truth.

"Why should we trust you?" Cato asks. Oh, now it occurs to him. Well, better late than never.

"You don't have to trust me, but if you don't, you'll never find her." He says. So he basically means that we shouldn't trust him. Good, I'm all for killing him.

"Okay, but one wrong move and you're dead," says Cato. Clove rolls her eyes and gives me a 'can you believe him' look.

Cato orders us around and we start to set up camp. After we rest, we'll go hunt some tributes. I look back at bread boy, who Cato gave the task of counting bags of food. It was a bad move to spare him, I know it. But maybe the others are right. Thresh is still alive, so is Katniss. As I sort through the various bags and packs (Clove told me to take out anything useful I find. Whatever she means by 'useful') I realize something. I want to see Katniss dead.

**Review, please!**


	9. Enemies

**A/N: This story is coming to a close, as Glimmer's death occurs pretty early in the games. I'll miss writing this story, and all of you guys who support it. Still, there's a few more chapters left before the end. When this one's finished, I think I'll start one about either Cato or Clove.  
>According to the hunger games wiki, Glimmer killed the girl from district 10 in the bloodbath. Just putting that out there. Anyway, so, I hope you like this chapter and if you do (or don't, I don't care), then please review! And also check out my other stories, if, you know, you feel like it. Yeah. BTW, do you like the cover I uploaded for the story?<strong>

* * *

><p>The anthem plays and the cannons go off. I don't really pay that much attention to who's dead. None of them stood a chance. When the last face appears in the sky (that girl from district 10. I killed her myself. She was so pathetic it was almost sad) I turn my thoughts to who's still alive. Almost everyone in my alliance, (sadly Clove's still with us), some random kids from the middle districts, and Katniss and Thresh. And me, obviously.<p>

"Hey, what do you say we go hunting. Don't want the audience to get too bored now, do we?" I turn around to look at the rest of my alliance. Clove's face lights up (but her face lights up with any idea that involves other people getting hurt), but district 12 looks at the ground. Having second thoughts, is he? Whatever.

"I'm in," I say.

"Me too," Marvel and Selkie answer together. Cato looks at Clove. She laughs.

"I was already in. You didn't even need to ask."

"You, twelve. You're coming too. You didn't think we'd let you stay here by yourself, did you? We're not stupid." Cato barks. Oh, really Cato? I would never have guessed by the way you've been acting lately. And if anyone else has bothered to notice, this leaves _no one _left guarding the camp and our supplies. Oh yes, we're not stupid at all.

"Hey Cato, I think you forgot one important thing," I say. "Someone needs to guard all this," I wave my arm behind me at the pile of our stuff "or else it could be gone when we get back. Did you think about that?" He glares at me for making him look like an idiot, and I can't help thinking that he's really cute when he's angry.

"Then-" He's interrupted by Clove who whips around and runs to the bushes on the edge of the clearing.

"I found a tribute!" She calls gleefully. "Can I kill him?"

"Bring him here," Cato orders. Clove scowls, and attempts to drag the boy over to where Cato stands. When she realizes how inefficient dragging someone is, she kicks him in the side, holds out her knife, and says "walk."

It's the boy from district three. He's small and scrawny. Completely useless, and pretty stupid too, if he thought he could get that close to our camp without being found. He's shaking with fear, but I see something brighten in his eyes when he sees our pile of stuff.

"Wait, don't kill me! I can help you!" He says, in almost an exact repeat of bread boy's words.

"We've heard that one already." I say.

"No, I can help you guard your stuff."

"We don't need-"

"Keep talking," Cato says, talking over me.

"I can help you. It's very simple, the land mines, under the plates, from the cornucopia. I can dig them up and reactivate them. No one will be able to touch your supplies or even get near them without being blown up." He speaks so quickly that he really sounds like he's saying this: " ',."

Cato's nodding, and I can almost see the gears whirring in the back of his mind.

"How will _we_ be able to get to our own supplies?" Bread boy says. We. He has nerve.

"Oh, you'll be able to turn them on and off. Or, you can jump in between them." Three replies.

"We'll take you up on the offer. Do it, and we won't kill you. You'll even get a share of some of that, if you want it. Start now."

"And don't forget," Clove says sweetly. "We're all leaving now, but if we come back and you're gone, we won't stop until we find you. It won't be too hard, there's six of us you see. If we do find you, you're going to be begging for death by the time we're through with you." The boy nods, clearly frightened out of his mind.

"That's settled," Cato says. "Let's go."

* * *

><p>Night fell quickly, changing the scenery dramatically. We're in the forest, (no one wanted to go to the field), but we haven't seen any signs of human life. I mean, I know it's the first day, but how far could the tributes have gotten? I feel like we've walked miles and miles.<p>

We only have two pairs of night vision glasses, and _of course_ they go to Cato and Clove.

"Shouldn't I get a pair?" I say, "since I have a bow?" If I can see beyond our torch light, then I can shoot things. Hypothetically, of course.

"You would, but you'd probably end up shooting one of us instead with an aim like that." Cato replies. Clove giggles, and I give her my best 'I'll kill you later' glare.

"I'd like to see you try," she hisses, passing me as she walks to the front of the group.

More hours pass and my feet are beginning to feel sore. I don't dare complain though, Clove would jump on the chance to taunt me.

"Let's head back," Selkie says. "We all need to get some rest, it's a long way back to camp. And we need to make sure three didn't run away."

"You got that right," Marvel says. We turn around and start walking back. Marvel voices his opinion that he thinks the night vision glasses should rotate amongst us. After some grumbling, Cato takes his off and hands them to Marvel. After some more grumbling, some harsh whispering, threats, insults, and more harsh whispers, Clove takes off her glasses and hands them to Selkie. Of course not to me. No. Because Clove doesn't like me for some reason. I have no clue why. It can't be because she's jealous that I find time to talk to Cato. No, Clove is way over things _that_ superficial. Oh who am I kidding? Clove's a girl. She's jealous. And now there are two people in my alliance who are probably just waiting for the right moment to kill me (three, if you count bread boy who I'm sure wishes he could kill us all).

"Do you see that?" Selkie gasps, pointing to the left. "It's smoke!"

"That's from our torch you idiot," Marvel says.

"No, it's far away. Like, in that direction." She gestures vaguely. "Tribute fire, maybe?" She's smug that she found a tribute before the rest of us. Ugh. I hate smug people.

"Should we check it out?" I say.

"Well duh," Clove snaps, and races after Cato who has already started running. Marvel and Selkie follow, leaving me to stumble my way through the forest. Really, I can't run when I can't see. And I have to be extra careful since I'm holding this lovely torch which could set the whole forest on fire. Not that that would be a bad idea…

I catch up to the group as they circle around the girl. She's small, but I can't remember what district she's from. She's pleading and crying, like that will help. Clove and Cato both draw their own weapons, then turn to glare at each other.

"You go the last one," Cato snapped.

"Fine." He glances at me. I step forward and playfully toss my hair. I grin as he offers the sword to me. I take it. Sorry little girl, but there's only one winner of the hunger games. Looks like it's not going to be you.


	10. What's the Harm? Are You Kidding?

**Hey everyone! Fun fact: Camm Levi, who is mentioned in this chapter, is a character from another fanfic I wrote, called Bending the Rules. Glimmer makes an appearance there. It took place two years before this story.  
>School starts soon, and updates will become less frequent. Like, really really infrequent. But here's the chapter, enjoy! And please please please REVIEW! Thank you.<strong>

No cannon shot. That's the first thing we realize after we've walked away from the body. No cannon shot, which means she's not dead yet.

"Damn it Glimmer," Clove snaps. "Can't you do anything right?"

"Shouldn't we have heard a cannon by now?" Marvel says. Clove glares at him.

"I'd say yes. Nothing to prevent them from going in immediately." Cato says.

"She's dead," I protest. Or she will be. She'll bleed out before dawn. "I stuck her myself."

"Then where's the cannon?" Clove says. "Oh that's right. You can't do anything at all. You can't even kill a tribute correctly."

"I wasn't aware there were correct ways to kill people," Selkie mutters, too softly for Clove to hear.

"Someone should go back. Make sure the job's done." Cato says.

"Yeah, we don't want to have to track her down twice." Marvel says. I glare at both of them.

"I said she's dead!" Like, there's no way that girl can recover. In fact, I bet the cannon will go off right when they find her again. I hate this, everyone ganging up on me. I want to yell at them that I tried, that it's not my fault. But who will listen to me?

"We're wasting time! I'll go finish her and let's move on!" Oh goody. Bread boy's decided to speak up. Just at that moment I hear a rustling of leaves. I whip around, but my torchlight doesn't reach where I heard the sound. I look back at my allies. None of them seem to have heard that. Really? Really? Ugh. I bet there's a tribute around here somewhere, hiding in a tree or something. Maybe it's that kid from eleven, she said she could climb, I think. One of the tributes definitely said that. I think back, trying to remember which girl said that during the interviews, but all I can remember is thinking that everyone's dresses were really pretty. The girl who could climb was in a blue dress. Or was it lavender? Whoever it is, I'm sure there's a tribute in that tree. I open my mouth to voice my discovery when Cato cuts across me.

"Go on then, Lover Boy. See for yourself." He stalks off. We're just letting him go alone? Won't he run away once he's out of our sight? That's what I would do in his position.

"Why don't we just kill him now and get it over with?" Clove says. "I'll do it." She grins, and fingers one of her knives. Marvel rolls his eyes.

"Let him tag along. What's the harm? And he's handy with that knife." Selkie says. What's the harm? Oh, I can tell you what the harm is. It's that he's using us and manipulating us, and probably isn't even leading us in the right direction to find fire girl. It's that none of you seem to understand that, and let him do whatever even though I can tell he's probably dying to stab us all in the backs. And we don't even need him.

"Besides," Marvel says. "He's our best chance of finding her." No he's not. We could do fine without him.

"Why," Selkie asks. "You think she bought into that sappy romance stuff?" Sappy or no, that is one area where I am sure bread boy was telling the truth. I've seen a lot of boys tell girls they love them, just to ditch them two weeks later. A boy did that to me once, and dumped me for that idiotic airhead named Camm Levi. Two weeks later the boy was brought into the hospital. I challenged him to a fight in training, and he lost. Camm didn't seem to mind. I hated Camm, so much. She thought she was so much better than me, but really, she couldn't do _anything._ She couldn't fight, she couldn't run, she failed in school, she failed at sports, she wasn't like, artistic or musically gifted and she wasn't nice. All she had were her looks. I mean, I've got looks too, I'm gorgeous and beautiful, but I still have a _brain._ Camm Levi died in the 72nd Hunger Games. She was killed by one of Clove and Cato's best friends. I'll have to be careful that I don't meet the same fate.

"…I want to puke." Marvel says. What? I must have missed part of the conversation.

"Wish we knew how she got that eleven." Cato mutters.

"Bet you Lover boy knows," I tell him. Speak of the devil. Peeta walks up behind us, holding a bloody knife.

"Was she dead?" Clove and Cato ask together, both sounding way to eager.

"No. But she is now. Ready to move on?" The cannon fires. And what could have been listed as my kill was stolen from me by district twelve. What is this world coming to?

We run back towards camp, (well, I try to run but it's more like a jog since I'm still stuck holding the dumb torch) and find district three sitting on a crate of pears.

"You're supposed to be working," Cato growls. The boy jumps, and looks up groggily.

"I finished already." He hands Cato a box. "Here's the button to turn the mines on and off. Right now, they're off." Cato takes the box from him, and turns it over in his hand. He's about to press the button when we all cry 'wait!' We run up to the pile of supplies, and take some food for breakfast. Once we're out of the range of the pile, Cato presses the button, activating the mines.

"No one get close to that, okay? The mines are activated." Yes Cato, we're not idiots.

Selkie starts a fire and begins to cook some bacon. Clove looks around, then closes her eyes and goes to sleep. I suppose the girl has to sleep some time. Marvel tries to stifle a yawn, but lies down as well. Selkie tosses me a piece of bacon.

"Hey Cato," she says. "Can I use our frying pan as a weapon? It would be kind of cool." Cato's laugh causes Clove to wake up. She gives him a death stare and half heartedly chucks a knife in his general direction. By the time he ducks, she's rolled over and gone back to sleep again. Selkie tosses a piece of bacon at Cato which he catches expertly in his mouth. I smile. He's so cute when he's acting stupid. I wonder if we're on camera right now. Even careers can have fun. Although, I suppose this also makes us look rather incompetent.

"Hey Glim, look at this!" He tosses the bacon in the air and slices it in half with his sword. The pieces fall on the ground, and Cato scoops them up and crams them in his mouth.

"Ewww," I say, though I'm laughing too.

"We can't waste any food now, can we? Where are we supposed to get more?" Then he laughs at his own joke as he points to our towering pile of stuff. "Oh that's right. I guess we can waste a little food." District three silently takes a piece of bacon and goes to sit by bread boy. The two of them don't join in our conversation, and don't laugh when we do. They don't belong with us. Three seems to have lived past his usefulness but hasn't realized it yet. Selkie tosses me an apple (that girl is really fond of throwing food at people) and I catch it with one hand. When I'm done, I drop the core into the fire and lie down. I should get some sleep now, while I have the time.

"Hey," I say. "I don't have a pillow." Out of the corner of my eye I see bread boy raise his eyebrows.

"Well," Cato says slowly, looking over at Clove's sleeping figure. "I'm going to rest too. Selkie, you're on guard." He lies down next to me, and extends his arm. I move so that my head rests on it. This would be the best moment of my life. If only I didn't have to worry about being killed in my sleep. If only I wasn't trapped in the arena. If only there could be more than one winner.


End file.
